


the call of the sea

by AjaysLullaby



Category: Naruto
Genre: Dai-nana-han | Team 7 as Family (Naruto), Family!Team 7, Whirlpool Rebuilt AU, brother!kakashi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23152711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AjaysLullaby/pseuds/AjaysLullaby
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto has never felt at home in Konoha, has never felt welcomed or loved. He is an outcast, tossed aside. Yet, in his dreams he sees a beautiful city shining on the sea. He feels the call, wants that home. It's a beautiful sight.So one day, after many years suffering indifference and hostility, he leaves and sets out to find his home. He just doesn't expect to drag a couple tagalongs with him.
Relationships: Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura & Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi & Uzumaki Naruto, Sarutobi Hiruzen & Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 57
Kudos: 512





	1. An Introduction

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Stormborn](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1877970) by [blackkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/pseuds/blackkat). 



> This is just an intro chapter. The next few will start getting into it more fully. Think of this as a way to see if anyone is interested.  
> This work was also insipred by Stormborn, a lovely whirpool rebuilt au by blackkat

Naruto is _homesick_ . He is homesick and world-weary and he is only _five_ . Five and done, tired, so exhausted and utterly unknowing why he misses something he’s never even had. The orphanage is supposed to be home, supposed to be something wonderful. Yet, it’s not. It’s rude and cold and anger of the matrons. The sharp slap of a hand to face, of hunger in his belly. He doesn’t consider it _home_ . Konoha, with its cold and angry peoples, isn’t _home_. It’s a distant Hokage playing grandfather, teachers who laugh and ridicule, people in the street who chase him off and spit on him. 

He’s a smart boy, sharpened by the world into a razor-fine point, one that the barest breath of a whisper across skin will leave seeping red. He watches and listens, makes leaps of logic most would find fearful in a five year old. Yet, he hides it, knows they will fear and hate him all the more if they understood. That isn’t to say that what he does is _fake_ . It’s more an over exaggeration, playing up the cheer and smiles, the _want_ to be recognized and seen, loved for who he is. 

Instead he is a quiet boy, happy with what little joys can be found, whip-smart, with a penchant for pranks and laughter tempered by the understanding he isn’t wanted or loved. He tolerates it, but when he wakes, dreams of sea-air and sun-warmed water on his lips, he flails, not understanding. He lives like this for years, ever since he can remember. The salt on his tongue, and the visions of a place leagues away he’s never seen in person.

-

A piece of chalk bounces off his head, leaving a stinging mark in its absence. He winces and rubs his head, the water in his eyes minimal, from months of recent practice. Mikimoto-sensei hates him, like everyone else, and doesn’t do much to hide it.

“Uzumaki! Tell me, what is the use of chakra?”

Naruto frowns, eyes focusing on the board and not his small doodles of a city on the cliffs, shining in the sea.

“Uh, it lets you use really cool jutsu, ‘ttebayo! Like the Yondaime and his super cool flash!”

Mikimoto-sensei scowls and nods, “That is...somewhat correct. Pay attention more, Uzumaki or I’ll throw you in detention, _again_. Now! Chakra is the energy which we use to perform jutsu, stick to surfaces, regulate body temperature, and a number of other things…”

Naruto stops listening, already knowing this explanation. All the times he’s snuck in to the library and read have prepared him for any questions the instructors might have. All the theoretical knowledge bounces around his head, helping him give a subpar-but-not-quite dumb look to everyone else.

He just wants what he can’t have, doesn’t know exists in the space outside of Konoha. He wants warm sun-air, salt-spray, and the glistening sea at his back. He doesn’t question where it comes from, the visions, but accepts them all the same. They’re a part of him, of his short, miserable life that never quite manages to put him down.

"A-are you a-alright?" A quiet voice asks him, soft like silk, from behind, whispers out.

He turns slightly, still rubbing his head, and _beams_ at the girl, Hinata, if he remembers right. A Hyūga, but not stuck up like the boy a year above him - her cousin most probably. Distant or not, he doesn't really care.

"I'm okay 'ttebayo! Mikimoto-baka just hates me. I'm just that cool, y'know?" He _is_ okay, so he's not lying. And he risks detention just by insulting his shitty teacher, but he doesn't really care. He's just surprised someone else _does_.

She gives him a shy smile and turns back to her notebook, paying attention once more. He does the same, returning to his doodling.

-

He turns six without much fuss, the sickness for an unknown home burning greater inside of him. The Hokage visits, pats his head and gives him two presents. One from himself, a small frog nightcap that Naruto cherishes. The other is a small wallet already filled with cash from 'a friend', if what the Hokage says is true. It holds this month's rent and groceries, as well as a little extra for himself, if he wants for anything.

And Naruto _does_ want. He wants so many things; material or not. But he knows it's impossible for him here. That's when the idea of _leaving_ first settles into his mind. Just...disappear away from Konoha, away from the hatred and the glares, the whispered _demon brat, he's not one of us he doesn't belong we should be rid of him_. 

(Naruto thinks, sometimes, that _they_ 're the ones who don't belong. He is just a child like anyone else, there is no reason he can find for them to hate him so.)

Leaving takes a lot, though, and he _knows_ he isn't near anywhere to even close to prepared. It'll take him years if he _really_ wants it. And he does, he thinks, face turned east towards somewhere whispering _home come home naruto homehomehome._

So he'll bide his time, save up money and resources. Maybe give Konoha one last chance to prove that it can be a home. But he doubts it, hard and fast, curling in his stomach like a stone snake. Konoha as she is will _never_ be a home. He knows theres one out there for him, waiting beyond the sea he's never seen.

He smiles at the Hokage, big and bright as the sun in the sky of his eyes. "Thanks jiji! I'll take care of Gama-chan super well! Can we go get some ramen?"

The old man chuckles, hand coming to rest on Naruto's spiked mane of blond hair. "Of course, my treat, Naruto-kun."

They leave, Naruto clutching his new wallet tightly. He has a plan, now. One day he'll find a real home. Meant for him and those he loves dearly. One day, maybe not now, but it _will_ happen. He knows it will, feels it deep in his bones, certain and true.


	2. An Intorduction, pt II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> naruto gets some friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part two! just setting up more things as it is. part three will be the last of the inrodution and probably shorter than the other two chapters, but thats ok

It's a week after his birthday and he sees Sasuke out on the dock, like he does every other night on his way home from training. Because even if he doesn't love Konoha, doesn't love its people, he still wants to be a ninja. It's his best chance at surviving when he leaves. So he sees Sasuke, but this time it's different. This time the other boy is crying, wiping his face often, sniffles tumbling out every so often, just loud enough the blond can hear him.

He almost walks away, almost refuses to help. But at his core, Naruto is a kind, good boy so full of care and compassion that he never gets to show anyone. So instead of walking away, he carefully slides down the hill next to the walkway the dock branches off, and sits next to Uchiha Sasuke, the best in their class compared to Naruto's almost-worst.

"G'way," the raven mumbles lowly, face pressed to hands soaked in tears.

"Y'know jiji tells me that when we don't want people around is when we most need a friend." It's quiet, not his normal loud boisterous self. He doesn't know how to help, not really, but he's going to try his best anyways.

"Your jiji is stupid."

Naruto squawks indignantly, offended. "My jiji is the coolest! He's the Hokage, dattebayo!"

Sasuke looks up at that, snot and tears dripping down his face. Naruto would be grossed out, but he's used to filth, so it doesn't bother him at all.

"You're a liar!"

"Nuh uh! I'll show you!" He shouts this and stands, grabbing the other boy and pulling him along. 

Sasuke cries out but doesn't pull away.

They run, hand in hand, through the village, underfoot and in the way, through the market and down back alleyways until they end up in the Hokage Tower. There, Naruto grins at Sasuke and tugs him inside, down twisting halls and up flights of stairs where they're spit out into a waiting area. He doesn't even glance at the secretary, shouting and laughing instead.

"C'mon Sasuke! Jiji is always doing paperwork, I'm sure he wouldn't mind a break!" 

Sasuke doesn't get a chance to reply as they bust through the door, the poor secretary, Kizuki-san, scowls and sighs.

"Jiji jiji! Sasuke-teme didn't believe me that you're my jiji so I brought him along to prove me right!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen leans back, a sigh falling from smiling lips, a pipe in one hand and a quil in the other. "Well now, I certainly hope I live up to the expectations placed upon me. Hello Naruto-kun. And Sasuke-kun, it's nice to meet you again. I met you when you were a baby."

Sasuke's eyes are wide, and his hand is gripping Naruto's in a vice like grasp. He bows a bit, as best he can with his hand in Naruto's, and speaks softly, face finally dry, snot gone.

"It's an honor to meet you sir. Nii-san always says good things about you."

"Ah, young Itachi-kun. He's a fine shinobi, and a good person. He loves you very much." 

Sasuke nods, still unsure what to say.

"Ne ne, jiji, can we get ramen later? I'll pay for myself!"

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but I have much to do. Maybe next time. Okay?" He says, not unkindly, face giving a sad, worn smile.

Naruto droops a bit, before perking up and turning to Sasuke. "You wanna try Ichiraku Ramen? It's the best dattebayo!"

Sasuke shrugs.

Naruto takes that as a yes and drags him off, Hiruzen smiling as they scamper out, bickering.

After that it's Naruto and Sasuke and Sasuke and Naruto, wrapped up together thick as thieves. They're somehow the best of friends while also fighting at every chance they get. They sit together in class and train at Sasuke's house.

His mother welcomes Naruto with open arms, smiling and lovely as a dove over a calm sea. She makes them food, and Naruto learns tomato is the way to Sasuke's heart. Or would it be his stomach? She also lets Naruto sleep over often, and he is _astonished_ at the care she gives towards him.

"Naruto," she says softly, cotton-friendly hiding the steel underneath. 

He blinks sky blue eyes, big and wide as he pauses, food halfway to his mouth, "Yes, Uchiha-san?" He is polite and wary, worrying that she might kick him out.

"You're welcome here any time you want, right Fugaku?" She glances at her husband, something passing between them in that single look.

The man nods once, decisively, firmly, and continues eating.

So maybe Konoha isn't so bad afterall, he muses to himself late at night, tucked up into bed next to his very best friend in the world.

-

It's one day, months later, that they meet the third person to complete their group. It's not that they were _looking_ , per se, but she just happens to slot in so nicely that Naruto can't help but to hold on with both hands. Literally, in this case. as he is prone to dragging people around.

The girl is small, shy, and almost as brightly coloured as Naruto himself. With bubblegum-pink hair, and mint green eyes, pale skin, hiding behind Naruto, the two make a sight. Sasuke can only stare.

"Sasuke-teme! This is Sakura-chan, I saved her from being bullied by that mean girl Ami!" He yells, because _Naruto_ and _indoor voice_ just can't coexist most of the time.

Sakura ' _meeps_ ' and ducks behind Naruto, who is dirty and ruffled but absolutely chuffed with himself.

"Sakura-chan, it's okay, I promise teme doesn't bite. Unless you're threatening his tomatoes. I still have bruises from that, jerk."

Sasuke lifts his nose in the air, imitating his father when he talks to someone he doesn't like. "Well, if you weren't such an idiot and told me you were going to _squash my food_ , maybe I wouldn't have done it when we were wrestling, dobe."

"Hey! I'm no idiot!" Naruto founters, arms flapping. 

"You sure look like one to me!" Sasuke replies, smirking.

Naruto growls and lets go of Sakura's hand, lunging at Sasuke. It makes Sakura giggle, as she watches the two roll in the dirt.

So it goes from Sasuke and Naruto and Naruto and Sasuke to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. She's shy at first, never saying much, always afraid to overstep. But the two ruffians who have declared themselves her protectors are always there, chasing away anyone who might try to do something mean. Often it means the two get pushed around, yelled at, and made fun of, but they don’t care. They see it as a mission at first, and then as what friends do eventually, dragging her to Sasuke’s to practice, to eat, to sleep over. She starts to fit in more, becoming less reserved and more open. 

Her taijutsu is weak, compared to the boys, but they train her hard and fast and eventually, eventually, a year later, she can keep up with them. She is their third, their confidant, the one to patch them all up when they get hurt. Mikoto mothers her just as much as she does Naruto or Sasuke.

One day, while they eat lunch outside, Ami wanders over with her posse of Fuki and Mitsuki. She sneers at the three, and goes to take Naruto’s hand-made bento, a gift Mikoto makes for him each morning alongside Sasuke’s.

A hand stops her, pale and calloused, not soft like it used to be. “I wouldn’t, if I were you.” Sakura says quietly, but not unfirmly. 

Ami tries to yank her arm away with a huff, but finds it stuck in the pink-haired girl's grip. “Let me go you big-foreheaded freak!”

Naruto makes a noise low in his throat, and Sasuke ‘hn’s quietly, eyes glaring out from under his mane of hair.

Sakura simply smiles, holding on tighter as Ami struggles, before letting go right as the bully tries to pull back again. She goes sprawling on to her behind, landing hard and knocking the air out of her. Sakura didn’t even have to do much, just hold and let go, Ami doing all the necessary work to embarrass herself in front of others.

She pushes herself up, and Sakura smiles indulgently. “I told you, not the best idea. Now move along Ami, no one here cares what you have to say.”

Ami scowls but does as told, flunkies following behind her closely. Sakura and her oys know that it isn’t the last time they’ll see Ami, but it’ll be a good while before her pride is recovered enough to try again.

So she slots in next to the energetic, sun-bright boy who would fight a grown adult over the smallest thing, and the boy who is darker than the night and prone to fits of spontaneous soliloquies about tomatoes. She’s their medic, their support, but she’s not lesser, she’s right besides them, tall and proud, able to reign them in with a few words and hit or two if necessary.

“Thanks, you two.”

“Of course Sakura-chan! We got you,” Naruto replies, mouth full of food. 

She scowls at him, “Don’t talk with your mouth full idiot! It’s gross!”

“Sasuke does his stupid Uchiha hn with his mouth full all the time and you never say anything!”

“Because he’s not talking! Now eat Mikoto-san’s food! Or else I will!”

Naruto gives her a horrified look and hoards his food close. Sasuke just smiles and continues to eat his bento box.


	3. An Intorduction, pt III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> naruto adds to his small group

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slightly shorter than the other two but i promise when i update the next chapter will be longer. i dont expect to update every day. at least once a week when inspiration hits. I just really wanted to get the foundations laid

Naruto has Sakura and Sasuke. He kind of sort of has Hojage-jiji. He also has the Ichirakus, even if they’re more distant. They are constants in his life. Just like how ramen is the best food and orange is the best colour there is. They are steady and wonderful and he holds them close and dear to his heart, happy with them.

Yet, there is one other constant Naruto  _ knows _ but hasn't met until now. 

There is a squad of ninja that follow him around, steady and present. They keep him safe. One in particular stands out to Naruto. His chakra is silver-white, and it's warm, crackling like static. Naruto, after much reading, realizes he is a sensor. And it leads him to know many things.

The ninja whose chakra feels like static leaves him food, does his dishes, waters his plant, and does other things for him when he forgets. He hovers around Naruto constantly, disappearing for no more than a few hours a day when he does go. Sometimes, very rarely over the years, he leaves for what Naruto thinks are missions outside of the village. He is gone for weeks and sometimes even months when those rare times roll around and Naruto finds himself saddened.

It's during one of those times, when his silent, unseen friend is gone, that Naruto is walking back from Sasuke-teme's house, done with training for the day. He is passing through the heart of the village when he tastes ozone on his tongue,  _ feels _ the static prickle on his skin, and knows with certainty his friend is back. He grins and starts to run home, except -

With a  _ thud _ louder than his thoughts, Naruto runs in to something-someone?- hard and solid, stuck in place. Warmth and static envelopes his senses, tasting of  _ surprise hurt affection l o v e _ . It takes his breath away. Sakura and Sasuke-teme love him, Mikoto-san cares for him, but he’s never felt such unrelentingly fierce protective love before. Not aimed towards him. His eyes well up with tears, and he glances up through blond hair flopped into a dirty face, blue eyes watery.

The man above him has hair that matches his chakra, one eye exposed, the other hidden by his hitai-ate. He has a mask covering the rest of his face, but Naruto doesn’t care as the tears start to spill over and he sniffles, low and happy. 

The man doesn’t realize this, though, panic rushing through his single eye. “Maa maa, are you alright? I didn’t mean to hurt you. You ran into me pretty hard, you know.” His tone is even, but Naruto can taste the worry on his tongue, fresh from the man's surprisingly reserved chakra.

Naruto nods. It’s all he can do in the face of such concern and  _ love _ that he doesn’t know what else to do.

The man - he really should find out his name - mutters something under his breath and crouches down. “Yo, how about we go get ramen and you don’t tell anyone I ran you over, alright?” He somehow  _ smiles  _ with his  _ eye, _ but Naruto finds it comforting. Then the promise of ramen sinks in.

He lunges forwards, wrapping arms around the man’s neck. “Yatta! Ramen ramen ramen ramen, let’s go let’s go! Thank you mister - uh, what’s your name?” He ignores how stiff the man is beneath him, knowing that the man would never hurt him. Maybe he’s just not used to hugs. That’s okay, until he had met Sakura and Sasuke, he hadn’t been either.

The man raises a single hand and it takes  _ everything  _ Naruto has not to flinch back. It’s a near thing, but the hand comes down slow and softly rests on top of his head. “Hatake Kakashi, kid. What’s yours?”

Naruto contemplates letting Kakashi know that he knows Kakashi knows who he is, but decides against it. A shinobi’s best weapons are the ones no one knows about, after all. “I’m Naruto! Uzumaki Naruto! And I’m gunna be the next Hokage, dattebayo!” He says loudly, ignoring the looks he receives from the masses at his declaration, hanging off of Kakashi-nii-san.

Kakashi chuckles and stands, one arm slipping under him as he does so. They arrive at Ichiraku like that, two lonely people clinging to each other. (Not that Kakashi would ever  _ admit _ he was lonely. Not ever, even under pain of death.) He sets Naruto down on one stool, sitting next to him. 

A young Ayame comes over, small face just tall enough to be a head above the counter. She smiles at Naruto, curious as to the man who brought him in.

“The usual Ayame-nee-chan!”

“One miso coming up. And you sir?”

“Shoyu for me, please,” he asks politely, smiling at the girl. 

Her father peaks out from the back, smiling when he sees Kakashi and Naruto. “Kakashi-san! It’s good to see you! And Naruto, have you grown? It looks like you’re taller than last time.”

Naruto laughs, “Teuchi-san! I saw you two days ago!”

Kakashi simply smiles and waves. 

After that night Kakashi hides less, doesn’t argue when Naruto calls him nii-san. He takes him out for ramen or to the park every few weeks. They play shinobi and nuke-nin, hide and seek. He teaches Naruto how to cook, to clean, to  _ live  _ properly. Naruto knows that one day Kakashi will have to leave for more regular missions, and that he and his friends might end up on different teams, but for now? Now it is playdates in the sun, leaning on Sasuke’s shoulder when he’s tired after training, Sakura lecturing him on chakra theory and helping him with the homework he doesn’t actually need help with. It’s Kakashi finding himself buried under three squirming seven year olds begging to be taught the shinobi ways of life, him sitting them down and passing on little bits of knowledge. Him summoning his nin-hounds and the three of them wrestling in the dirt. It makes it easy to ignore the burn in his heart, the way he wakes up and looks east every morning. The call that  _ aches _ and  _ shivers  _ in his bones is less when he’s with them. They make Konoha a somewhat home. It’s enough for him to put leaving to the back of his mind, just...living with the people he loves.


	4. The Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the fall hits hard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> =)

He dreams in gold and red and blue. He dreams of water and wind and solid earth beneath his feet. He dreams and dreams and  _ dreams _ . The city, shining and beautiful. The people, proud and strong. The sea, friendly to those she loves, and deadly to those she doesn’t. He dreams of the bustling market clothed in silks, the hospital full of red-headed workers, the square full of people and children running through, chasing birds. It is a beautiful dream. But, it is only a dream. And he wakes. He wakes to a  _ nightmare. _

-

They are eight now. Eight and curious, bright eyed and wonderful. They run around balancing on the tops of fences, falling properly when they slip. They slide around corners the right way, leaning away from their momentum so they don’t tumble over. They play tag in the market, hide and seek in parks. 

They’re playing now, Kakashi-nii-san with them on one of his rare days off. It’s after the academy, Naruto and Sakura convincing Sasuke to take a day off training to get sweets with their favorite sensei-slash-brother figure. They are all relaxed, having fun. It’s only four, so they have an hour or two before Sasuke and Sakura need to be home.

“Ne, ne, whatcha reading Kaka-nii-san?” Naruto asks, wiggling over to his favorite adult ever.

Kakashi looks pale under his mask, flipping the curiously orange book closed and secreting it away faster than Naruto can follow. Sasuke wanders over, leaning on Naruot who grunts and wiggles again, but bares the weight without much revolt.

“Maa, nothing for my cute little siblings to worry about.”

Sakura snorts from her sport on the other side of Kakashi, bangs clipped back and long hair in a braid, senbon sticking out barely. A proper kunoichi in the making. “It’s  _ grown up  _ stuff, guys. Like  _ kissing _ and stuff.”

Both boys go green, eyes crossed as they make exaggerated gagging noises.

“Ew ew ew, Kaka-nii-san that’s  _ gross _ !” Naruto shouts, glares from other civilians not even phasing the four now, after months and months of spending so much time together.

Sasuke nods vehemently next to the blond boy, backing up a bit and shuddering for extra effect. “Yeah, what the idiot said!”

“Why you - !”

“Gah!”

And off the two sprawling, wrestling in the dirt for the umpteenth time that day. Sakura sighs and goes back to her own book, pink head shaking softly. Kakashi simply stretches and shifts position, straightening against the tree. Wouldn’t do to get a bad back.

He turns to his cute little female kiddo, and opens his mouth asking, “How do you even know that, Saku-chan?”

She huffs and levels him with a small glare, that he  _ knows _ when older and more practiced, will be  _ terrifying.  _ But for now it’s simply cute on her small face.

“My okaa-san told me so I wouldn’t go reading it because it’s on her bookshelf, that’s why.”

He chokes on his next breath, not expecting Sakura's  _ mother _ of all people to read Icha Icha. What a world shaking revelation. “Ah,” is all he says, settling down as the boys continue to fight. Kakashi lets them. It’s good for them to get their energy out while also practicing the moves he’s taught them.

Time passes and eventually the sun falls lower in the sky. Kakashi makes note of the time and stands. By now the boys have tapered off and started napping, leaning against Kakashi’s side and each other. It’s a cute sight, too cute  _ not _ to make use of his Sharingan lighting-quick to memorize them like that. After, he rouses them, shaking the two lightly.

“Boys, it’s time to go. We have to drop Sasuke and Sakura off you two.” It’s soft and if someone else had heard, would be described as  _ loving _ .

Naruto groans and snuggles closer, “Dun wanna ge’ up.”

Kakashi sighs, “C’mon I’ll give you a piggy back ride if you get up.”

Naruto perks at that, pushing Sasuke awake as he sits up more fully.

“Ugh, do we have to Kakashi-nii-san?” Sasuke asks.

“Yep, up you go duck-butt-kun.”

Sasuke growls and stands at that, kicking Kakashi in the leg. To his credit, it actually stings for a second. One day the boy will be a taijutsu power house. But for now, he is small and weak and it is  _ Kakashi’s _ job to protect the three of them. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to worry while in the village.

He makes sure Sakura is ready, and slings Naruto across his back, one kid on each side as they wander toward the Uchiha district. It isn’t a long walk, but the sky dips darker, and Kakashi is on edge for some reason. He forces himself to relax though. There’s nothing wrong. That’s what he tells himself reluctently, glancing around.

Except there’s no one in the district. It’s empty and Kakashi’s nerves are wire-thin now. The closer they get to Sasuke’s house, the darker it gets, the more Kakashi heards the children behind him, sliding a complaining Naruto down off his back. He holds his hand up as they approach the house and the children fall quiet, already learning to be the good little soldiers every child that runs through the academy become. 

The house is dark and Kakashi smells  _ blood _ . Has been smelling blood, too distracted by the scent of his kids that the twenty-two year old failed to notice something that he should have the  _ moment _ they stepped into the Uchiha district. He doesn’t understand, wont for a very long time, but he will do  _ anything  _ to protect his kids, the ones who have become family, become  _ pack _ . The door of the house is askew, and Kakashi takes one cautious step forward before stopping, smelling something familiar. 

Itachi steps out, and Sasuke yells his name, about to run forward. But Kakashi stops him, hand on his collar, dragging him back behind him. 

“Stay, Sasuke-kun. Something isn’t right. You trust me, right?” He says, eye never leaving Itachi, whose sword slanted down and to the side, almost hidden, is dripping blood. 

Sasuke gulps and nods, hands clutching for Sakura and Naruto, the three backing up behind their adopted older brother.

“Itachi-nii?” He asks, softly.

Itachi’s Sharingan whirl to life, and Kakashi is pushing his hitai-ate up without a second thought, eye taking in the bodies behind the eleven year old.  _ Sasuke’s parents,  _ he thinks grimly.

“Whatever you’ve done, surrender quietly and come with me.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Kakashi-senpai.” The boy, no, the  _ traitor _ replies, voice monotone.

And then he  _ moves _ , sword flashing toward Kakashi, who draws a kunai and leaps forward, meeting him halfway, not wanting the murderer to be near the children. He bares his teeth and  _ growls _ . Itachi simply raises an eyebrow and jumps back. Kakashi flares his chakra in the pattern for the request for  _ backup emergency now ANBU needed _ . Itachi, being the prodigy he is, the boy who made ANBU younger than Kakashi, knows what it means. And he flashes away. Kakashi wants to give chase, to break the traitor with a  _ chidori _ or something else just as painful, but he has people he cares about standing behind him. So he jumps back and scoops the three up, heading toward the district's entrance. 

Sasuke is wiggling, crying out. He wants his Otou-sama and Okaa-san. But Kakashi knows he won't ever see them again, and his heart  _ breaks  _ for the boy in his arms. Breaks for the fact his brother is the cause of all the heartache he’s about to go through. The only mercy Kakashi can think of is that he won’t  _ see _ them, laid out on the ground soaked in their own blood. Won’t discover his parents dead like Kakashi had as a child. He feels a grim satisfaction at that.

The nearest squad meets him at the entrance, and he gives them a brief report, feeling more signatures heading their way. He drops the three gently, kneeling after his report.

“Sasuke.” I’s firm, kind,  _ sad _ .

He whimpers clinging to Kakashi’s arm and Naruto’s hand. “Y-yes?”

“Your brother...he did something very very bad. I’m...Your parents...they wont be coming back. I’m sorry, Sasuke.” He hugs the boy close, stiff against him, processing. And then he  _ breaks _ , sobbing, screaming, hitting Kakashi weakly.

“No no no! You’re lying you can’t be telling the truth, Itachi-nii would _never!_ I want mama! Let me go!” He struggles weakly, but Kakashi has too firm a grip. Eventually he just falls, exhausted, against Kakashi’s tear-soaked vest.

“Kaka-mii-san…?” Sakura ventures, crowding Naruto’s left side, staring at Sasuke sadly. 

“Yes, Saku-chan?” He replies tiredly, watching the Hokage land a few meters away.

“I want my parents.” He tugs her close, hugging the three of them.

“Okay,” he whispers into Naruto’s hair, the boy wiggling around til he can hug Sasuke.

-

The aftermath is felt by the whole village. Sasuke, the last Uchiha in Konoha. Sasuke, an orphan now. Sasuke, a downtrodden, miserable, heartbroken boy. They rally around him, shields from the stares, from the whispers. Naruto bares his teeth, Sakura glares, and Kakashi simply carries the boy around, on leave from missions for the next two months in order to protect the boy. The village pities him. Whispers in wonder if he’ll turn out like his brother. 

Naruto beats up and takes beatings to protect Sasuke. Sakura helps plan pranks, nasty, means things to anyone who says an unkind word. Sasuke himself is quiet, withdrawn unless alone with the remainder of his now-small family. 

He moves in with Naruto, and Kakashi moves in across the hall. Sakuras mother cooks often for the boys, saddened.

It’s a horrible two months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> seriosuly idk why im posting so much. eager to get the story out there ig lol. this chapter is about 500 words longer than the other three  
> also im getting more reviews on ff.net and its surprising, i always thought i would get more on ao3


	5. Graduation Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we get a little bit of catch-up and then its graduation day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so glad yall love this story as much as i do! all the comments and kudos make me want to contiue writing it and thats what keeps me pushing out chapters so fast. thank you so much!

Sasuke becomes even quieter after the slaughter of his family. He really only talks to the three people who spend all their time around him. It takes Sasuke months to come back from the shell he’d retreated in to. Naruto hates it, hates Itachi, hates the village even more for what it’s done to the people he considers  _ everything _ . He contemplates leaving even now, face turned east, the sea roaring through his mind. But he can’t; can’t leave those he loves behind, can’t just  _ abandon _ them. Kakashi-nii-san has taught him better, after all. Taught all of them better. They won’t leave each other behind no matter what.

So the next few years pass, Sakura and her mother mourning the loss of Sasuke’s family harder than most civilians, right there with Sasuke and Naruto. Kakashi is saddened for Sasuke and Mikoto, the burning hatred for Itachi licking through his veins. He also leaves on missions more frequently, worrying about them on his way out and on his way back in. He’s picked up on Naruto’s sensing abilities by now, because the little brat  _ always  _ knew when Kakashi was back in the village, or where Sasuke was or when Sakura was coming in the building to visit. It was a little scary, but impressive for a child. His range was about half the village, and with time it would grow even larger. But the weirdest thing was that he could sense  _ emotions _ . When Naruto confided that tidbit, Kakashi is well and truly shocked.

They train, become better soldiers, better  _ shinobi _ . Kakashi teaches them, has been teaching them like the good older brother he is becoming, has become, will always be. He shows them how to survive in the wild, how to set snares and traps for animals and people alike, how to properly throw kunai and shuriken. He shows them how to track, even. Naruto is the best, Sasuke the worst. Sakura is somewhere in the middle, but she's always been the strategist, the medic. Not lesser. Simply different to her boys. Kakashi shows her the Mystical Palm Jutsu, it's the only healing one he knows. She takes to it like a fish to water. Sasuke gets a small raiton jutsu that will scramble a nervous system for a good few seconds. He adores it, they play tag with it. A higher-stakes game to train even more.

Naruto is shown the ANBU entrance to their building. His pranks become focused, legendary. With Sakura to help guide and Kakashi to make sure they get away, no one can catch him, blame him. He  _ always _ has an alibi.

Naruto grows alongside his  _ family _ , the one he's sweat and bled with, the one he's cried with. He loves them fiercely. But still, his face turns east every morning, wet rock beneath his feet slipping away, the salt in the air fading from that to  _ earth  _ and _ trees _ . Konoha isn't home. His heart hurts at that, but he stays, if only for his family.

So they grow, they learn, they become a unit designed to compliment each other so finely no one can argue they don't belong together.

And before they know it, it's graduation day.

-

"Hey! Teme! Get out of the bathroom, I need to pee!" Naruto calls, banging on the door. He hops from one leg to the other, dancing in place in his frog nightcap, blue sleep pants, and white shirt. His face is scrunched up like he bit a lemon and his hand not banging the door is fisted in his shirt.

"Hold  _ on _ dobe I'm almost finished," Sasuke replies, tone annoyed and tired. The door opens and Naruto almost hits Sasuke in the face. But Sasuke is an almost-shinobi and he ducks, Naruto stumbling by, into the bathroom without complaint. The door shuts again and Sasuke goes to make breakfast; simple eggs and sliced tomatoes for him. Naruto is cheesy eggs and fresh sliced oranges. If it's orange, it's Naruto's favorite.

There's a single knock on the door before Sakura ducks in, neatly avoiding the traps placed by her and the boys, most of them harmless pranks meant to embarrass rather than injure. She has a bento box in her hands, and a fresh milk jug from her mother she slots into the fridge while tossing out the expired one.

She gives Sasuke a peck on the cheek and sets the box down on the small table the boys have, looking excited. "Sasuke-kun, do you think we'll be on the same team?" She asks quietly.

He grunts and plates the food, bringing it to the table where she sits. "I don't know. It would be stupid of them not to put us all on the same team. You know what we're like." 

She nods, smiling and snatching a fresh orange from Naruto's plate. "Hopefully they're smart," she murmurs before biting in. 

Naruto comes out of the bathroom still dressed in his pajamas and slides into a seat, pulling his plate forward with a hasty "Hey Sakura-chan!" before he digs in.

Sakura's smile turns to a frown when Naruto starts chewing with his mouth open, and she gently whaps him on the head. "Idiot! Chew with your mouth closed, you're not five anymore!" She scolds him, arms crossed. 

Naruto swallows what he has in his mouth and meeps, "Yes Sakura-chan." 

Breakfast after that is a smooth affair. Naruto trundles off to get dressed, and the three head out. They don't stop to bother Kakashi because Naruto tells them he's not in right now.

They hit the street, people immediately glaring once they realize Naruto is out and about. He just smiles wide, one hand in Sasuke's and one in Sakura's. They're a team, a family, and though the tide rushes through his veins, beckons him  _ home home come home _ , he turns away from those thoughts and continues on toward the Academy, family at his side.

-

The three sit in the back, Sasuke at the window, Sakura in the middle, and Naruto at the end. Sasuke's fan club stare death at Naruto and Sakura like usual, but the two ignore it.

"Ne, ne, who do you guys think our sensei is gunna be?" Naruto questions.

Sakura shrugs, "I don't know, but they won't be as good as Kakashi-nii."

"Hn," is Sasuke's near-silent agreement.

"I hope it's some super strong shinobi or kunoichi! Not as strong as nii-san but I bet they're still super strong y'know? This is gunna be awesome 'ttebayo!"

Sakura smiles and shakes her head, while Sasuke grunts. Iruka comes in just a few minutes later, a large smile on his face.

"I want to say, I'm proud of you all. Let's get started!"

The paper test is passed out, and Naruto does fine, scoring a perfectly middle score like he wants. Sakura is top kunoichi, and Sasuke is Rookie of the Year, whereas Naruto has played it safe and stayed at the bottom of the pack, intentionally in the hopes no one realizes how good he actually is.

Taijutsu is harder to middle, but he manages somehow. Kunai and shuriken he hits two out of five bullseyes, and Iruke congratulates him softly, encouraging as always. 

The man was nicer to Naruto than any of his previous teachers. He had felt the chunin struggle with his emotions in the beginning of the year, but eventually, after a prank, it had petered into exasperated fondness. They weren't  _ close _ , per se, but Naruto liked the man, which meant Sasuke and Sakura liked him too. They were always exemplary students when in class.

It's the ninjutsu portion that everything falls to broken bits of dreams and pieces of heart littered across wooden floors.

"I'm...I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but you fail." Iruka's sad voice says, drifting through Naruto’s dulled ears.

He leaves, no hitai-ate to be had, and stumbles into the waiting arms of Sasuke and Sakura. He brushes them off, asking for some alone time. It’s a horrible way to start his ninja career. The career he won’t have for another  _ year  _ because he has to go back to the Academy. He knows his friends are worried about him, but he can’t bring himself to care at the moment.

And then Mizuki strikes, and Naruto  _ knows _ deep in his heart it’s a lie, but he can’t help but to hope.

Sneak in, steal the scroll, learn a jutsu. And then apprehend Mizuki because obviously the man is a traitor, but Naruto is a twelve year old boy with stealth skills in a blazing orange jumpsuit that rivals a low-level ANBU. Of course he’s going to focus on the cool jutsu first.


	6. Post-Graduation Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mizuki and naruto have a little chat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy!

It's hard. Harder than anything he's been taught before. Naruto has always learned best by  _ doing _ and  _ seeing _ and  _ feeling. _ Reading is just not his strong suit, not right now. He can't concentrate as easily, attention often swayed. But here? Here he pours his  _ all _ , his  _ being _ into concentration, into reading and learning this one jutsu — so incredibly important to him, to the  _ chance  _ it will possibly give him. Naruto knows that it could blow up in his face — figuratively and literally, but he doesn't care for it much. He will try and try and  _ try _ , because becoming a shinobi is important to him. Being with his  _ family _ is important. He promised them they'd stick together, and he doesn't break his promises. He does all he can to stick to his nindo.

The kage bunshin sounds like the perfect solution to all his problems — his lack of chakra control affecting the regular bunshin, his lack of back up when he plans to confront Mizuki, and his saving grace for his taijutsu style. A jack of all trades, you could say.

He practices, muttering to himself and tucking the little tidbit of information he's gathered about the memory feedback away. Something to work with later. Now? Now it is time for the big reveal, the epic showdown, the — well. He just hopes his ass doesn't get beat into the ground.

The trees rustle, and the slimy, slippery feel of Mizuki's grey-green chakra draws closer. Naruto also notes of another jutsu that interests him, and he marks it down in a little journal, before shutting it with a snap and tucking it away into an inner pocket. More things for later, now it's time for the show. He grins, wide and fake, pretending to study the scroll intently, while instead he silently and smokelessly makes five kage bunshin. One darts off to find a higher ranking shinobi, to inform them of what's going on, while the other four stealthily make their way into various positions.

Mizuki drops down, not quite noiseless, but quiet most wouldn't have heard it. Most aren't trained the Copy Nin themselves, though, and even if Naruto hadn't been a sensor, he would have heard it. He pretends not to though, seemingly absorbed in the scroll in front of him.

"Naruto-kun! Good job. Now, give me the scroll and we can go get your hitai-ate," the traitor says just loud enough to startle anyone unknowing, and Naruto flails, pretending again to be surprised.

"Ne, Mizuki-sensei you can't sneak up on people like that! And besides you haven't seen my super-awesome mega cool jutsu yeah dattebayo!" He replies, slinging the scroll across his body, turning to face the shinobi behind him.

"Oh, right. Well you can show me as we go to get your hitai-ate. Doesn't that sound good Naruto? Finally being a shinobi of Konoha?" The  _ 'serving the village that hates you'  _ part goes unsaid, but entirely understood. Naruto frowns, shaking his head.

"You know, I might not care for Konoha as much as most people, but traitors? I  _ hate _ traitors. Nii-san taught me that."

Mizuki frowns and draws his weapon, a fūma shuriken, closed right now.

"Give me the scroll you demon brat. Or else I'll kill you slow."

Naruto, ever the trickster, just sticks his tongue out, smiles, and disappears into a cloud of smoke. 

Mizuki curses and rushes forward, leaping aside at the last second to avoid —  _ paint bombs _ ? The kid isn't even trying to kill, just humiliate.

"You fucking snot nosed demon, where the  _ fuck _ is my scroll?" He yells, and four Narutos appear, all clutching one Scroll of Sealing each.

"Hi Mizuki-baka," they say in eerie unison, "come find out which one has the real scroll!" And they dart off, Mizuki giving a frustrated growl, and diving after the closest one. 

He avoids paint bombs and snares and logs and shuriken along the way, traps going from humiliation to capture to  _ deadly _ . If Mizuki didn't hate the little demon so much he would almost be impressed, because the mix keeps him on his toes, dancing this way and that to avoid them all. He gets nicked by a few kunai, splattered with glitter by another, and jumps from one tree branch on to find the next is half sawed through, and it breaks upon his landing. _ When the fuck did he even have time and the knowledge to do that?! _ He thinks, ready to peel the child's nails off one at a time and then use them to score marks down the boys face. Mizuki has never wanted to hurt someone more than in this moment.

Naruto giggles to himself as the memories of his bunshin reach him. He's back in the clearing, waiting for someone to show up while Mizuki is led on a nerry goose chase around the forest. It's just not the person he's expecting, eyes wide and mouth open. But he's…not really that surprised. Iruka sensei is one of the only people outside his little family that can consistently find him. Not even  _ ANBU _ can claim that; when Naruto doesn't want to be found he won't be. Simple as that.

"Ehehehe, Iruka sensei! Sorry about this whole mess, the ANBU should be here soon. As soon as my clone finds one, y'know?" He says gaily, hand rubbing the back of his head in sheepish embarrassment.

Iruka frowns, the bags beneath his eyes prominent. "Naruto-kun! You idiot, what have you done?"

"Oh! Mizuki-sensei asked me to get the Scroll for him, so I could pass! I even learned a jutsu like he told me to sensei!" Naruto replies, playing the oblivious idiot.

Iruka's frown deepens, eyes calculating as he puts the dots together. "Naruto, come here."

But Naruto stops moving, head tilted — and he  _ leaps _ to the side, whirling around, watching the fūma shuriken whizz by and  _ thunking _ into a tree, sinking deeply.

Mizuki appears from the brush as Naruto lands in a crouch next to Iruka. "You're troublesome but not clever enough to outwit me, demon brat."

"Stop  _ calling me that! _ " Naruto yells, sick of being insulted for nothing. "I'm _ not _ a demon. I don't know where the villagers got into from but I'm just a regular boy!'

Iruka looks upon him, sadness in his eyes that Naruto doesn't understand,  _ can't _ understand. 

"That's not true though, right Iruka-san?"

Naruto turns to look at his favorite teacher, whose cool-blue chakra is trembling with sadness, worry, and resignation. 

"You know we're not allowed to discuss it, Mizuki-san. It's the  _ law _ ."

The man laughs, high pitched and terrible. Naruto winces, ears grating at the sound.

"After tonight I won't have to worry about this stulid village or its rules again. Naruto-kun, don't you want to know why everyone hates you, why no one but those brats you call  _ friends _ stick around you?"

Naruto’s heart starts racing, running like a rabbit away from the jaws of a hunting dog. He doesn’t say anything though, eyes trained warily on his former-sensei.

Mizuki grins something terrible, eyes full of malice and hatred. Naruto can feel it roiling in his chakra, twining together like rope, knotted tight. “It’s because you have the Kyūbi no Kitsune sealed inside, you!  _ You _ are the demon that attacked Konoha. This is why everyone hates you, Naruto!”

Naruto pauses for one second, then two, then three before — he  _ laughs _ bright and loud, like sunshine on a summer day, breeze ruffling hair. “I’m not — I  _ can’t _ be the demon sealed inside me you damn moron, that’s impossible,” he says between huffs of breath, shaking his head. He doesn’t have to time to really unpack it all, that will come later, held between his brother and sister, sobs shaking his body. But for now it’s laughter and disbelief, eyes filled with mirth. 

Mizuki scowls and steps forward, but before he can say anything, two ANBU drop down, one chopping Mizuki in the neck. Naruto just grins and saluts.

“Alright, I’ll bring this back to jiji, you guys…do your ANBU thing,” he says, grining.

They don’t say anything, but the undertone of fond exasperation can be felt through the tilt of the head. The two haul the traitor up by his arms and disappear into the night. 

Naruto turns to Iruka, grin smaller now. “Whelp, Iruka-sensei, looks like that was pretty easy,” he says, rocking back on his heels, hands behind his head. He ignores how the memory of being gutted feels like, or how it felt to be stabbed through the eye. He ignores the phantom sensation of metal through flesh, vicious and cold. It’s not what he needs to think about, nor is the giant fox apparently stuck in his gut.

Now he needs to report to the Hokage and return what was stolen.

“Naruto-kun...the things he said. They’re not true. I’m glad you know that. You’re a good kid,” he tells the boy awkwardly, but genuine and real. “Now, I have a surprise for you. Close your eyes.”

Naruto is curious, but does as told. The weight of metal settles on his forehead, Iruka tying off the bandana behind his head. Tears well up in his eyes, but Naruto doesn’t allow them to fall.

“Thank you Iruka-sensei.”

“Congratulations Naruto-kun, you pass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ik the fight with mizuki wasnt much of one but this naruto is smarter, more cunning and he takes less risks. Usually. Also i just didnt feel like writing a fight scene and i figured this was good enough


	7. Team Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> team assignment time :)

Naruto shows up in his apartment quietly, footfalls soft. He didn’t want to disturb Sasuke, who was probably asleep by now. It was late. The  _ chat _ he had had with the Hokage — and in that moment he was  _ Hokage _ , not  _ jiji _ — had run late, very very late. False dawn was breaking over the horizon, everything the hazy grey of not-morning not-night. It was quiet, the birds not even awake yet. Naruto felt his resolve to not cry fading fast, sniffles echoing out in the still air, quiet but there. 

He ducks through the door, shrugs his jacket off and removes his shoes in the entryway, padding barefoot now as he hangs his jacket. He makes his way to the kitchen for a glass of water, eyes drooping. Before he can make it though, a light flips on in Sasuke's room and Naruto has to curse his luck. The door opens and not one, but  _ two _ bodies step out, and Naruto is usually so much more observant, pays attention to his surroundings and the chakra there. But this time? This time he is upset and tired, reeling from the shock of dying and knowing he has a giant chakra fox shut in his body. He doesn;t know what to do as his family slowly eases into the living room, but the tears are already running down his cheeks before he can think of an excuse. 

Sakura flips the living room light on, sees the tears. Her face softens from the indignation and annoyance that had been there. Instead she walks to him slowly, leads him to the couch. Sasuke goes to make tea. 

“Naruto? What’s wrong?” She asks, so gently and quiet.

He shakes his head as he sinks down into the cushions, the soft blue seating embracing him. He doesn’t know how to start, know what to  _ say _ . He’s a little worried they’ll hate him after this, but Naruto knows deep that they love him just as fiercely as he does them. 

“Naruto…” she trails off, sighing. She tugs him, not hard, but firm, and he aquieces. She wraps her arms around him as he turns toward her, head coming to rest on her shoulder, arms limp at his sides. “It’s going to be okay, whatever it is. If Sasuke and I can’t make sure of it, Kakashi-nii will. We’re here for you.”

He knows this, logically, but hearing it again, that reaffirmation? It does him a world of good. 

So when Sasuke comes out, tray bearing three cups, a pot, milk and sugar, he sits up and takes a cup without question or order. Sasuke is a mother hen when he gets into the mood, so it’s best not to argue. The tea is hot, steaming, it swirling black-brown in his cup. The heat centers him, bringing him back down from the space he had occupied.

“So,” Sasuke starts quietly, “what has you so upset, dobe?” The nickname slips out without any heat, simply a unthinking add on.

Naruto shrugs limply. He doesn’t want to have this conversation, but it’s necessary. They  _ don’t  _ keep secrets. They tell each other everything.  _ Except that you want to leave _ , a traitorous voice whispers in the back of his mind. He ignores it steadily. That’s not the point, not important. This conversation is. The spoon scrapes the side of the ceramic as he gathers sugar; one spoonful, then another, then a third. He adds in a dash of milk to cool the tea, it mixing into a pale brown.

“Naruto, you can talk to us.” Sakura states, hand on his shoulder.

He takes a sip of tea, and sighs. Sets the cup down, hunches over. It’s not going to be pleasant. “I…I found out why everyone hates me. But before that, I should tell you what happened with Mizuki-baka.” 

Sakura shares a sharp glance with Sasuke, who sits on Naruto’s other side now. He nods and wraps an arm around Naruto’s shoulder, Sakura doing the same to his waist. The press in on both sides, comforting and steady.

“Go on,” she encourages softly.

He heaves another sigh, sounding like an old man, and begins to talk.

“I didn’t pass, y’know this. Then Mizuki - he. He told me about a  _ secret _ test that I could try to take to make up. He told me to steal the Scroll of Sealing.” Sakura gasps at that, one hand covering her mouth. Sasuke frowns.

“Yeah. So I did. I knew he was lying but I thought. I thought that maybe, if I captured him and told someone they’d have to pass me. It kind of worked. I got passed, y’know? I even learned a forbidden jutsu. I can show you guys but you can’t learn it til your chakra reserves are bigger. Hokage-jiji said so. A-and,” here he pauses, sniffling again, tears welling up in his eyes, “he’s been  _ lying to me _ . Every time I asked him why,  _ why  _ they all hated me so much, he told me he didn’t know. But- but Mizuki told me. Even though he’s a traitor, he told me. It’s…it’s bad, guys. I don’t. I don’t know what to do. And I  _ died _ like five different times cus the new jutsu is super awesome and lets you remember what your clones do. But he  _ killed _ them and I can  _ remember it _ . It hurt so much.

“But that’s not it. I have. You guys know the Kyūbi? When it attacked...when it hurt Konoha, the Yondaime didn’t kill it. He sealed it.”

Sakura stills, and tears start slipping down her face as Naruto sits quietly, knowing he doesn’t have to spell it out for his teammates. They’re smart, they’ll get it on their own.

“Oh Naruto,” she murmurs, using her one arm to wrap him tight in a hug. 

Sasuke’s eyes are flicking between him and the tea, and Naruto knows he’s figured it out.

“I’m sorry Naruto. But you’re a  _ hero _ , not a monster - not a  _ demon _ . And you better remember that dobe, or I’ll beat it into your head. Got it?”

Naruto just lets out a watery chuckle before dissolving into tears. His siblings by choice hug him tight, until he falls asleep in their arms, tea forgotten.

-

A week later he sits in his old classroom, a full-fledged genin of Konoha. It’s not that he cares much for his village, because he doesn’t not really, but he’s proud to have passed, to have outsmarted Mizuki. 

He sits nearest the window, Sasuke in the middle and Sakura on the end. His head is pillowed on his arms, staring east. The Roaring in his head almost drowns out everything else, whispers like ghosts speaking to him, beckoning him somewhere he’s never been but  _ needs  _ to be. It’s maddening, the way he  _ itches _ to leave, to move, to be free of the leaves and dirt. 

He doesn’t even pay attention until he hears his name called.

“Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura!”

He grins at that, sitting upright. He doesn’t even know the team number, and he won't know their sensei until they come, but for now he’s happy. He pushes all thoughts of leaving, of the rushing in his head deep down, buries it under the guise of  _ loyal Konoha shinobi _ .

One by one the different sensei arrive and take their teams away, and the three are left alone. They glance at each other. It’s weird, to have their sensei be so late. But still, they  _ made it _ , and better yet? They were together. Didn’t stop them from complaining though.

“Who do you think it could be?” Sakura asks.

Sasuke replies, face stony. “Someone who doesn’t value our time very much.”

Naruto snorts at that, “No shit ‘ttebayo!”

Sakura leans around Sasuke and swats at him, scowl on her face. Narutp half-heartedly dodges, and gets up, leaping over the desk. 

It's a simple prank, not near the genius, not near the level he can do, but he doesn’t care. A simple eraser pinched between the doorway and door, with a little bit of itching powder. If their sensei lets themself be hit, well. They won't be very happy but waiting this long kinda sucks. Naruto is  _ bored _ .

They make small talk, plans of what they want to accomplish, things they want to eat today, and what their sensei might be like are all topics that pass between childish lips.

Eventually the door opens, and a silver head of hair is hit by an eraser, eye crinkle in place.

“Naruto…” Kakashi-nii-san says.

Naruto grins, and then registers just  _ who _ exactly is standing there. Oh shit, he’s so dead isn’t he? “Ehehe Kaka-nii, what are you doing here?”

“Dobe, he’s obviously our sensei.”

“Shut up teme, I totally knew that!”

“Right, because asking him why he’s here means you knew. Totally didn’t make you sound stupid.”

“Why you-!” Naruto lunges, intending to take his brother down. Kakashi catches him by the back of his shirt collar.

“Now now Naruto-kun, no need to murder Sasuke. C’mon, we have a test to take!” Kakashi says cheerfully, eye smiling as only he can.

The three children look at each other and gulp. This isn’t going to be fun, is it?


	8. Interlude: Kakashi

Kakashi is…amused. His cute little siblings are running ragged, panting and flushed. They're doing an admirable job, for fresh genin. It's partly the fact they know him, know how he works, since he's trained them since they were young. Which is the other reason they're doing well. 

Kakashi will pass this team; there's no doubt about it. It was his only stipulation to being selected as a jounin-sensei was he got  _ this _ team, or none at all. He loved his little family, his  _ pack. _ They were the most important thing in the world to him. They took precedence even over his village at this point. Kakashi had been lost, adrift in the world until Naruto had pulled him in to his inescapable orbit. And then he'd given him two other people to protect, to love and cherish. He would be forever grateful to the child who would never know what he'd done for Kakashi. The trio of genin fighting his Kage Bunshin right now were the most important thing and they always would be now. He was nothing without a pack, and he would fight until his dying breath in order to protect them.

Naruto shouts something incomprehensible, and Kakashi looks up from his perch in a nearby tree, eyes fixating on the blond boy. He's mid punch, body trailing behind the extended fist as he flies toward the clone. Sasuke is to the side, hands flashing through a set of seals he's familiar with. Sakura is perched in a tree visibly, tossing out kunai here and there. She looks like she's plotting, and Kakashi is very glad it's his clone and not himself suddenly. 

Sasuke spits out a ball of flames bigger than himself, and Naruto goes sailing by as the clone dodges to the left lazily, giving a small wave as he passes the boy by. Naruto lands in a handspring, jumping up and landing on his feet. His eyes are narrowed, but there's a smirk on his face. 

He forms a seal, concentrating for a second, and a clone pops into existence next to him. It gives a decisive nod and rushed forward. Kakashi's clone cocks his head and engages in taijutsu. Naruto has leapt back toward Sakura and they're conversing while Sasuke is circling, looking for any opening to swipe the fake bells on the clone of his adopted older brother.

Naruto laughs and grins, bright as the sun, and Kakashi feels his breath catch. He looks like the perfect mixture of his parents; Kushina's round face, small nose, and expressive eyes, with Minato-sensei's colouring and spikey hair. He's the most precious thing to Kakashi in this instant. Will always be precious to him. Not just because he's all that remains of the two people that had basically adopted him, but because Naruto has a way of worming into your heart without you even realizing. He's a good kid, loud and happy, fiercely protective, and free with his affections. He doesn't hide away, and Kakashi? He admires that, respects it. Wishes he could be a bit more open like his otōto. But it's okay, because at the end of the day, the kids know he cares. Know he will always do his best to be there. And what better way than to be their official sensei?

Kakashi watches with interest as Naruto dives back in to the fray, grin wide as Sasuke retreats to Sakura's position. He makes another sign and a second clone appears, hanging back while the real Naruto engages. It's a quick bout, Naruto ended up thrown away and rolling across the ground. Sasuke and Sakura leap in to the fray then, kunai and shuriken flying every which way. They heard his clone closer to Kakashi's tree and he cocks an unseen eyebrow. Then his single visible eye widens and he has to jump from the tree he's in as all at once the children and two clones stop suddenly and make a seal. They all grin in eerie unison and shout. 

"KATSU!"

Then the world explodes into light and noise. If it had been anyone but him, they might have been caught off guard by the children as Sakura bursts from the ground below him, and Sasuke lunges from the trees, tossing a giant fūma shuriken at him. Kakashi pays it no mind until it passes by him and with a  _ poof  _ of smoke, Naruto appears. His fingers graze the bells as Kakashi kicks him away, using one hand to fend off Sakura, tossing her over his shoulder, and the other to deflect kunai thrown by Sasuke. And then the bell rings.

He eye smiles and the children groan, looking dejected but determined. He knows they'll learn from this and improve the next time they spar. They always do. The subtle genjutsu from Sakura to hide them switching out with Naruto's explosive kage bunshin was good, he actually hadn't noticed it. It wasn't often they got the drop on him like that. 

He motions for them to sit, and they do, each breaking a bento out to eat. They settle against the poles on one end of the training ground and get comfortable. 

"Now my cute little genin, tell Kakashi-sensei what you did wrong!"

This team will go far, he just knows it. And he can't wait to unleash the little hellions on the rest of the world.


	9. Missions

He wakes with the taste of salt on his lips and the rush of water in his mind.

It’s seven am and time for him to get up. Another day of D-ranks and he’s honestly done with it all. Every client scowls at him, refuses to acknowledge him. Kaka-nii eye smiles and promises to report the client before they grudgingly treat him like a _human_ . It’s not humiliating so much as it is heartbreaking. He _hates it_. Hates the missions that are chores, hates Konoha just a little bit more for each step they take against him. Civilians have even started treating Sakura and Sasuke badly in the past few years, whispering about them and now they understand why. And they stayed with him, let him cry, mourn the lives of the parents he never knew but lost.

He groans as Sasuke knocks on his door and rolls out of bed, eyes drooping as his feet hit cold wood. He rummages around in his closet and pulls out his usual attire; one black tank top, one mesh undershirt, one bright orange jacket, and his black shinobi pants, which he tapes with bandages, hiding his weights inside. He slips his sandals on and then wraps his pouches around his waist and leg, slipping the straps through the thin pieces of cloth that holds the pouch in place on his leg.

Eventually he finishes getting dressed and makes his way out of his small room, heading for the table. Sakura is already there, eating quietly while Sasuke cooks. Naruto can too, but Sasuke likes it, it reminds him of his mother. Naruto taught him mostly everything, with Kakashi-nii showing the two of them the rest. He sits at the table, waiting for his food, and said man opens the door casually, meandering over with his face in a book decidedly not orange. That makes Naruto smile a little. 

His family is here with him, and that’s all that matters.

-

The whole team heads out around eight thirty, after food and stretches. The train for a bit, sparring each other and Kakashi-nii individually, then two vs one, then finally the three of them against Kakashi-nii. Then they learn theory and mission scenarios, plotting team formations and plans of attack and escape. Finally, around twelve thirty they head to the missions office, sufficiently late.

Naruto opens the door, letting in Sakura and Sasuke first before himself, and cutting his older brother off with a wag of the tongue and a wink. 

The office is a large rectangle, with the hallway door running against the long wall, and another door to their immediate right, leading to the room clients waited in.. The Hokage and the shinobi and kunoichi who hand out the mission scrolls sit at a table running the length of the room, Hokage-jii sitting in the middle. Iruke Sensei sits next to him, and he gives a halfhearted glare at Kakashi, before listing the missions available.

“Well, Chi-san has a babysitting mission, and the Inuzuka need their ninken walked again. Tora also needs to be recaptured…” And on he goes, listing many menial chores Naruto has no interest in doing. He knows Sasuke and Sakura feel the same way, just from the glance of despair the three shrae. 

Naruto leans over and tugs on Kakashi’s arm. “Ne, Kakashi-nii-sensei, we’re all sick of D-ranks, can we please get something a little harder?” He whispers, but not quiet enough.

Iruka looks at him with a tic in his brow, mouth downturned into a harsh frown. Hokage-jii is just smiling contentedly, watching it play out. Naruto suddenly wishes he were anywhere but there for a moment. Then his resolve hardens when his siblings give him a smile and a nod, and he squares his shoulders.

“We’ve done double the required amount of D-ranks dattebayo! And we’re bored by them y’know, we’re ready for something harder.”

“Naruto you can;t just make that decision for yourself, your jounin-sensei has to make that call. Now-” 

He tilts his chin, the rush of salt water filling his veins giving him a needed clear. He opens his mouth, ready to argue, when Kakashi-nii sets a hand on his shoulder. Instantly his mouth closes and he looks to his brother-figure.

The silver haired man straightens from his slouch. His shoulders square and he _stares_ the chunin down, eye smiling in the creepiest way possible. He’s just a touch pissed someone tried to talk to _his_ sibling like that. “You’re right, Iruka-san. _I’m_ their sensei, and Naruto is right. What C-ranks do you have available?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kinda short ik, but thats just how i liked it. i already have the next chapter started so i'll have that out in a couple days


	10. On the Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto and Co head for wave

Two hours later they’re en-route to Nami no Kuni, escorting one fairly drunk civilian bridge builder. It’s a long walk at civilian pace; a five day journey. By shinobi standards, that’s  _ forever _ . But Naruto is excited! He is  _ outside _ the village; the place he has been ensconced since he was but a mere babe. His eyes are bright and he takes in the never-ending trees and trailing path in front of them. Sakura laughs at his enthusiasm, while Sasuke ‘hn’s in amusement. Kakashi-nii ruffles his hair and things are  _ great _ , mutterings of an old man aside.

So they walk and walk and  _ walk _ . And Naruto is happy, his heart lighter than it has been in a long time. Being out of the oppressive glares of the villagers is doing him wonders. And for some reason, the swell of the sea inside his chest beats a rhythm he doesn’t quite yet understand. But he knows he feels  _ good _ . And to him that’s all that matters.

The first day passes and they set up camp, not even winded, barely sore. The bridge builder on the other hand, Naruto notices, looks twitchy and jumpy, like he’s expecting ninja to just jump out of the shadows. Which is ridiculous, since it’s a C-rank and C-ranks are only slightly less boring than D-ranks because they get you out of the village. Bandits might happen upon them but even  _ genin  _ are generally more capable than them, so a jonin like Kakashi with three well trained brats? It’s a cake walk. Naruto simply shrugs and turns to pester Kakashi-nii about dinner. He hates rations and would rather hunt for some food. He brought spices just in case.

So the world settles and they drift to sleep, Kakashi taking the middle watch, Sasuke first, Naruto second, and Sakura fourth, since she was always up before everyone else.

The next day passes by uneventfully, and the bridge builder doesn’t drink nearly as much, but he’s still just as rude and annoying, calling them brats and runts, poking fun. Sakura has to be held back when he comments on her being some sort of useless damsel, and she vows to Naruto and Sasuke later that she’d pay the sexist pig back for his comments. The two boys just go pale and nod, scoring a glance at each other in fright.

“Ne, Tazuna-san?” Naruto asks on the third day, eyes curious.

The man grunts and looks his way, sake bottle halfway to his mouth.

“Do you guys have ninja anywhere near Nami? Konoha is a little far away just to ask for an escort or bridge protection,” he comments, idly twirling a shuriken on his fingers.

“Nah, we have Kirigakure, but they’ve been stuck in a civil war for years. Best not to go there. We used to have Uzushiogakure, they were much closer. Then the war happened, and they were…well, the village and her people fell.”

Something  _ shifts  _ in Naruto at the mention of the fallen village, and he hesitates from one step to the next, eyes wide. The Village Hidden in the Whirlpools? He’s never heard of a thing before, and he knows about many of the smaller villages. The ocean inside him  _ roars _ , and it’s all he can do to keep from bombarding the man with questions. Something about the name, the place. It feels  _ right. _

Before he can even begin to think of a simple question to ask, they pass a puddle. And then the puddle erupts into two ninja and before Naruto knows it, Kakashi-nii is gone in a flare of chakra, hiding in the trees, and the boy is fighting for his life.

Naruto ducks a swipe from a clawed hand, Sasuke diving into the fray while Sakura leaps back toward Tazuna-san. The blond dodges another swipe to the left, closing his guard and taking a kunai out with one hand, tossing the shuriken that had been in his hand at the man. He ducks and Naruto pushes forward, into the range of the man, parrying the claw thrown his way. Sasuke is to his left, taking on the other but all attention is focused on the one in front of him.

Naruto swipes and the man dodges but the blond gives no room, chasing him with another swipe, this one aimed at his throat. The man throws his clawed hand up to deflect and Naruto  _ leaps _ , bounding over in a flip, calling kage bunshin into the fray. The two bunshin land side by side with him, grinning ferally. They dart to the sides away from Naruto, who dashes forward, the shinobi turning to face the three warily. 

“What’s this then, clones? C’mon you genin, give me more than that! We’ll get the bridge builder just like we got you’re shitty sensei!”

Naruto laughs and mimics his bunshin, grinning with all too much teeth. “They’re no ordinary bunshin!” 

The two clones laugh and form hand signs, one for a wind attack, and another for a fire, each on opposite sides. The real Naruto pulls out a brace of shuriken and forms his own signs around them, tossing them after he’s done, watching the five multiply into twenty, calling out “Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!”

The clones finish their jutsu, and toss them out, the low level attacks forcing the man to dodge the only way he can - forward, away from the jutsu and shuriken, and right into the waiting punch of another clone. The punch knocks him flat on his ass, and Naruto ducks down with a kunai, knife poised to take his life while the man is dazed. 

He’s stopped by a gloved hand on his wrist, one he recognizes. Kakashi-nii pulls his hand away and pinches a nerve in the man's neck, knocking him out. To Naruto, it doesn’t matter, he’s already rationalized the fact it was either the man or his family - but Kakashi? Kakashi has no wish for his siblings' hands to be bloodied yet. 

Sasuke has already tied up his opponent, dragging him over to the other two. Sakura leads a shaking client over to them as well, and Kakashi glares at the man.

“You. Explain.”

One sob story later and the three genin are ready to mutiny at the thought of turning back. Kakashi sighs, and summons Pakkun.

“What is it Bakashi?” The pug asks, face bored.

“I need you to head back to Konoha, inform the Hokage that our mission has been upgraded to at least a B-rank, and that nukenin have been apprehended, so to send out some ANBU for collection.”

“Sure sure. I demand a massage the next time you call me as payment.”

“...You’re supposed to work for me, not demand payment for doing your literal job.”

“The boys and I have decided to unionize.”

“You what.”

“Yeah. We’ll get our terms to you after this mission.”

With that final message, he takes off to the trees, heading in the direction of Konoha, waving goodbye at the genin. 

Kakashi turns to them and eye-smiles.

“Now then, let’s continue!”


	11. Curling Tides

“Get down!” 

They duck at the shout, dragging the bridge builder down with them, eyes cautious as they glance up. A man stands there on top of a giant sword, shirtless in cow-print pants. A Kirigakure hitai-ate lays cockeyed on his forehead, a single slash through the symbol. He grunts, Naruto and his siblings falling in to a formation around Tazuna-san. Kakashi-nii raises his hitai-ate, and the nukenin chuckles. As he does, a dense fog rolls in as the three fall around Tazuna-san, and a sudden burst of killing intent fills the area. 

Sasuke laughs, and Naruto joins him. This is  _ nothing _ compared to their older brother on a bad day of training.

The fight with Zabuza is short. Kakashi-nii-san trained them well, and against clones that are only one-tenth the strength of the user, the three of them working together make quick work.

Zabuza makes attempts at them, but Kakashi is able to fend him off. The two clash but it’s too hard to see much until the end, where the two shinobi are sitting on the water, making hand signs. Kakashi-nii finishes first, the giant vortex of water whirling and twisting itself into the shape of a dragon that comes crashing down on Zabuza, pushing him back, swallowing him whole. The water washes away, revealing the nukenin splayed against a tree, bruises forming and cuts sluggishly bleeding out. Kakashi-nii approaches to make the killing blow, and two needles fly out of the woods from overhead. The children tense and herd Tazuna-san backwards, away from the direction of the needles, which have sunk into Zabuza’s neck. 

A figure appears, dressed in white, a blank, swirling mask covering their face. Naruto narrows his eyes in suspicion, and watches as Kakashi-nii talks briefly with what appears to be a Hunter-nin. The shinobi lifts the body as Kakashi-nii slips his hitai-ate down over his eye. The body and ninja disappear in a swirl, and Naruto rushes forward, trusting his siblings will drag Tazuna-san along.

He ducks under his older brother's arm, letting the man rest his wait on him.

“M-my house isn’t too far away. Maybe another ten minutes walk from here. Are you good, shinobi-san?" He says, questioning Kakashi-nii. 

Kakashi-nii nods and leans heavily on Naruto, eye drooping. "I will be fine with some rest, Tazuna-san. Please, lead on." He gestures broadly forward.

The four of them trail behind and reach the house soon enough.

Naruto and Kakakshi-nii follow Tazuna-san, Sasuke and Sakura trailing behind them. Naruto hears a woman's voice, and he looks up. She’s mid-heights, dark long hair and pale skin. She’s speaking softly with Tazuna-san before she notices them.

“Oh! Hello,” she says with a bow, eyes bright with tears, “Thank you for saving my father. Let me show you to your room. I’m Tsunami, by the way. Tazuna is my otou-san.”

She straightens as she speaks and gestures for them to follow, and they do, stomachs growling and faces curious. Naruto has never seen another person's house look so homey before, besides his own apartment. Sakura’s is clean because her father is a neat freak, and Sasuke’s clan house and district are just...empty.

Naruto wonders if it’s dependent on the people for a place to feel like home, or if the place itself can be home. That’s how Konoha is - only a home because of people, not the place. Something stirs inside of him, and his face turns east as he helps Kakashi-nii up the stairs and into the room that is to be theirs until they leave.

-

That night he tosses and turns, quietly facing east every time he stops paying attention, the rush of blood in his ears loud. Sasuke kicks him because Naruto is noisy, and Sakura mumbles obscenities under her breath as she tries to sleep. Kakashi-nii is sleeping like a log somehow, though Naruto knows he’ll snap to at the slightest hint of danger. He’s good like that.

The morning comes and Naruto stirs at the faintest hint of sun glinting off water through the trees. He silently slides out of his bedroll, ignoring how Kakashi-nii slits an eye open, and crawls out the window, wall-walking to the roof, face turned east once again. The tugging in his body is something fierce, whispering  _ almost the come home you’re so close _ through his veins like the rustle of the wind over waves. It’s tremendously hard not to bound off the roof and just run as far east as his feet will take him. He knows it’s quite far indeed. He wonders what’s east, as his eyes take in golden-blue water through wind and salt stunted trees. They’re nothing like Konoha's tall, proud Hashirama Trees. With their sturdy trunks, larger than three men stacked together, and reliable branches and high boughs. No, these are twisted, gnarled things, barely thirty feet tall. He likes them more, they’re less uniform and oppressing. They have character and  _ pizzaz, _ as Guy-san would say.

Eventually he climbs down, back through the window once the sun is risen further, the light almost blinding as it hits sky-blue eyes.

He wanders downstairs, the smell of food enticing and promising as his stomach rumbles. The others are seated at the large table in the kitchen, and he joins them. He rests his head in his hand, face still turned east. The conversation flows around him until -

“What?!” Sakura half-shouts. 

Naruto starts, whipping around to glance at his team, his  _ family _ .

“Wha-?” He starts, eyes searching.

“What do you mean Zabuza isn’t dead?” Sasuke questions. 

Naruto blinks, and thinks back. “Hunter-nin are supposed to destroy bodies on site. Not move them…” He trails off unsurely, glancing at his older brother.

Kakashi-nii nods, “Naruto’s right. Plus, senbon aren’t common kill weapons. They’re generally incapacitators. They need extreme accuracy to make them any sort of useful.”

The blond boy smiles softly at the thought of being right, before he frowns. “So how long until he tries again?”

Tazun-sa looks scared, but determined, nodding as Naruto speaks.

“At least a week. We can discuss it more later, when we decide guard rotations and training plans.”

Naruto turns back to the table, chewing his lip thoughtfully. “Tazuna-san,” he starts, eyes landing on the man, “may I ask you a question?”

“Sure, brat. What is it?” He replies, curious.

“What’s east of here? Like, is there any land east?”

Tazuna-san rubs his chin thoughtfully. “Well, south-east is Mizu no Kuni, but east? Only the old ruins of Uzu.”

Sakura perks up at the name, and Naruto frowns, having never heard the name before.

“What is Uzu?” She asks, eyes bright.

“You don’t know? Well, I suppose you kids are a bit young. Uzushiogakure was the ninja village of Uzu no Kuni. Kiri and Iwa banded together to destroy it. It was the home of the Uzumaki clan, and they were well known for their prowess in the sealing arts. It’s why they were destroyed. It’s about a day and a half by boat, but you can’t get too close because of the whirlpools that surround the close side of the island. The far side is sheer cliffs.”

The three genin look at each other in awe. Naruto especially, is emotional.

“I have a clan?”

“You - wha?”

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo!” He says cheerfully, eyes stinging a little bit.

“You’re...an Uzumaki?” The old man asks carefully, eyes gazing over the young boy.

Kakashi clears his throat. “Yes, Naruto, you had a clan. You’re Uzumaki on your mother's side. You take after her in a lot of ways. Unfortunately I’m forbidden from telling you more, due to a law.”

“Well maybe you ninja can check it out after all this bad news is over, yeah? Sounds like a super idea!”

Naruto turns puppy dog eyes to Kakashi-nii, and his siblings follow suit, and the man crumbles beneath their combined might. 

“Maa, maa, I guess we can take a look after we deal with Zabuza.”

The three cheer, a few quiet tears slipping down Naruto’s face. This is more he’s learned about his family than anything before. He has hope maybe there’s other Uzumaki out there now. Not everyone could have died, if his mother survived Uzu’s fall.


	12. Interlude: Sakura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura muses while her team trains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait yall. Ive been dealing with quarantine freakin horribly but I'm doin my best. I hope to have the next chapter out in the next couple weeks. Thanks for yalls patience!

Sakura is... _ sad _ . There’s so little left of Naruto’s family and the only chance they have to discover more is put off until they can figure out how to beat Zabuza and his accomplice. She’s... _ anxious _ over that, but not scared. Kakashi-nii-san has taught them well, and she’ll do what she has to to protect and help her family. Her  _ real _ family. Not the fake “we only call each other family because we share blood” that she dealt with back in Konoha. Her father was a workaholic neat freak and her mother was absent with false platitudes and hidden scorn for her chosen profession. 

She wants Naruto to find out his past, wants Sasuke to have justice for his slaughtered clan, wants Kakashi-nii-san to not fight with his superiors over every decision made without him about her  _ brothers _ . She's so frustratingly  _ weak _ right now compared to so many people, so unable to help her loved ones. It doesn't matter she's the strongest kunoichi of her generation by miles. It doesn't matter she's on the strongest team that the last few years have seen. It doesn't matter that the strongest jonin in Konoha is teaching her. She feels ultimately  _ useless _ , and until there comes a day where she is satisfied with her strength, she'll keep working on her skills and improve so that she can adequately protect her family.  _ It's a promise,  _ she says to herself silently, her inner voice nodding solemnly in agreement.

She comes back to the present, eyes focusing in on the text she was supposed to be reading as Naruto hollers in the background, Kakashi-nii-san lecturing him on the proper way to do whatever jutsu he was working on. Sasuke is with the bridge builder, who is out collecting what pitiful supplies pass as groceries on the economically wrecked island. They're all doing  _ something _ to work toward the end goal of "beat zabuza, go to Uzu" and she just hopes that whatever they find, it's enough for the blonde boy. 

She  _ knows _ there's something secret he's kept tucked away, though she's only recently begun to suspect. She sees the way he turns east constantly, how the question to Tazuna-san the other night was entirely out of left field, and yet entirely not at all. It had been stewing in him the entire time, eyes brimming with questions unsaid.

She sighs and returns to reading about late war strategies, the scrolls resting near her knees patiently waiting their turn to be devoured by the voracious appetite she has for knowledge. 

It was a soft sort of silence, the quiet grunts of frustration and concentration permeating the air every so often, punctuated with Kakashi-nii-san occasionally saying corrections or words of encouragement.

It lasts for maybe another half hour, in which Sasuke and Tazuna-san return from their trip. The solemn boy goes to work on his chakra control exercises without nary a word, simply a nod in their teacher/older brother's direction and a small wave in hers. If she concentrates hard enough, she can almost ignore the impending collision of nuke nin and hired bodyguards, and pretend everything was normal. But that was  _ dangerous _ . So instead she keeps her attention on her surroundings as she reads, and isn't surprised when Naruto successfully pulls off the technique - the shuriken kage bunshin no jutsu - and immediately celebrates, turning to her in joy.

"Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan! Didja see?! I did it!" He says bright as the sun on the sand, smile wide as he does a little dance in place.

She laughs and nods, "Yes! Good job Naruto!" 

Sakura slips the book to the side, laying it gently in the grass as she stands up, stretching her back as Sasuke walks down the tree, leaves fluttering off of his arms and legs as he does.

He snorts, no real heat behind his words as he speaks. "Wow, you actually did it, dobe."

"Why teme-!" Naruto responds, shaking a fist, pout on his face.

She meanders over and pokes the boy in the side, shaking her head at the two's antics.

"Do it again, Naruto!" She prods, focusing him back on the subject.

He grunts and nods, turning away from Sasuke and her, concentrating on the signs his hands make around the shuriken he holds; not slow, but not quite practiced-fast either. He'd get there in time, she wasn't worried about it.

She watches as he quietly mutters "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu", and throws the object, a small cloud of smoke  _ poofing  _ into existence as the shuriken flies through and multiplies from one into twenty. They  _ thunk _ heavily into the surrounding trees and underbrush. Naruto is ecstatic, grinning from ear to ear, turning to them.

She laughs and dances forward, grabbing his hands. "Good job Naruto! I can't wait until I have enough chakra to learn Kage Bunshin and all the related jutsu. Stupid fox gives you too much chakra. You need to share." She sticks her tongue out and pulls him into a hug.

Sasuke scoffs but ruffles Naruto's hair, while Kakashi-nii-san eye smiles and giggles. It's just one moment of many, but Sakura is happy, and she'll do anything to keep her family this way.


End file.
